Excavation bucket with internal material expulsion device and related method

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for use with an excavation machine to move ground material comprises a bucket configured for collecting ground material and an internal material expulsion device in the bucket and configured for discharging the collected ground material through a rear opening of the bucket, which is opposite to a front opening through which material passes into the bucket during digging. The apparatus includes a deflection member outside the bucket and at or adjacent the rear opening, which is configured to direct discharged material. Thus is provided an apparatus which can be used to substantially simultaneously dig and discharge the excavated material away from the excavated location, in a common digging action.

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/177,543 filed Apr. 21, 2021.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an apparatus comprising a bucket for collecting ground material therein and a material expulsion device disposed in the bucket for discharging collected ground material therefrom, and a related method.

BACKGROUND

In the context of ditching or trench formation, a conventional process therefor comprises excavating or removing ground material from a first location where the ditch or trench is to be located or formed, and dumping the excavated material at a location generally in proximity to but preferably spaced from the trenched location, so that the ground material can subsequently be levelled over an area adjacent or proximal to the trenched area. Excavation is usually performed using an excavation machine in the form of an excavator having a digging arm movable in arcuate digging motion, with a bucket mounted on a free end of the digging arm. Levelling or grading is usually performed by another machine distinct from the excavation machine, such as a bulldozer or a skid steer with a mounted grading blade. Thus, trench formation is generally a multi-stage process as the material is initially excavated by a first machine and then graded or levelled by a second machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus for use with an excavation machine to move ground material, the apparatus comprising:

a bucket configured for mounting on the excavation machine and to collect ground material, wherein the bucket comprises:

-   -   laterally spaced-apart sidewalls,     -   a peripheral wall spanning laterally between the sidewalls and         extending from a top to a bottom of the peripheral wall along a         path from a top of the bucket to a rear thereof and then to a         bottom of the bucket,     -   wherein the sidewalls and peripheral wall collectively delimit         an interior of the bucket for containing ground material and a         front opening configured to enable passage of the ground         material into the bucket, and     -   a rear opening in the peripheral wall opposite to the front         opening and configured to enable passage of the ground material,         which is in the bucket, out therefrom;

a material expulsion device in the bucket and configured to discharge the collected ground material through the rear opening of the bucket; and

an external deflection member attached to the bucket at or adjacent the rear opening and configured to direct the discharged ground material.

This arrangement may provide substantially simultaneous digging and expulsion actions to move ground material from a trenched location to another location using the excavation machine only.

Typically, the bucket comprises a mounting device configured for attaching to the excavation machine, and the mounting device is attached to the peripheral wall.

Preferably, the deflection member is disposed at or adjacent a proximal side of the rear opening to the mounting device so as to direct material away from the mounting device.

In one arrangement, the deflection member is supported for pivotal movement about a substantially laterally oriented pivot axis.

In one arrangement, the mounting device comprises a support plate supported generally horizontally and in spaced relation to the peripheral wall.

In such an arrangement, the deflection member may be pivotally movable about the pivot axis by at least one actuator operatively supported underneath the support plate.

In one arrangement, the deflection member comprises an arcuate deflection surface opposite the rear opening in the bucket and extending from a proximal end at or adjacent the bucket to a distal end spaced from the peripheral wall.

Typically, the bucket includes a forward cutting edge at an end of the peripheral wall along a bottom of the front opening.

In one arrangement, the material expulsion device comprises a rotary member operatively supported for rotation about a substantially laterally oriented rotational axis inside the bucket and configured to move the collected ground material towards the rear opening, and wherein the rotary member is configured to rotate in a downward and rearward direction around the rotational axis.

In the illustrated arrangement, a height of the front opening from a top to a bottom thereof is sized smaller than a diameter of the rotary member.

In the illustrated arrangement, the rotary member comprises a shaft defining the rotational axis and a plurality of paddle members operatively supported for rotation with the shaft, wherein each paddle member defines a planar leading surface generally facing in the downward and rearward direction of rotation and disposed in angularly trailing relation to a radius of the shaft.

In the illustrated arrangement, the paddle members are spaced from the shaft.

Preferably, the peripheral wall substantially follows an outer circumferential edge of the rotary member along an angular path extending more than 180 degrees around the rotational axis.

In the illustrated arrangement, the angular path is less than 270 degrees.

In the illustrated arrangement, the front opening extends from a bottom to a top thereof between about 90 degrees and about 180 degrees about the rotational axis of the rotary member.

In the illustrated arrangement, the rear opening comprises a single opening spanning substantially a full width of the bucket between the sidewalls.

In one arrangement, an end of the peripheral wall at the top thereof projects forwardly from the sidewalls of the bucket.

In the illustrated arrangement, the top end of the peripheral wall is below tops of the sidewalls.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of forming a trench or ditch comprising:

using a bucket mounted on a digging arm of an excavation machine movable in arcuate digging motion, digging ground material from a prescribed location to form the trench or ditch; and

substantially in parallel with digging from the first location, discharging, from the bucket, the ground material in a direction away from the prescribed location.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an excavation machine with which an apparatus according to the present invention is usable;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are top and bottom front perspective views, respectively, of an arrangement of apparatus according to the present invention;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are top and bottom rear perspective views, respectively, of the arrangement of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are front and rear elevational views, respectively, of the arrangement of FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view of the arrangement of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 9 and 10 are opposite side views of the arrangement of FIG. 2;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view along line 11-11 in FIG. 7; and

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view along line 12-12 in FIG. 2.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The accompanying figures show an apparatus 10 for use with an excavation machine 1 to move ground material from a first location A, where ground material is to be excavated or removed to form for example a ditch or trench (as illustrated in broken line in FIG. 1), to a second location B in proximity to but preferably spaced from the first location A so as not to obstruct or hinder an excavated structure formed thereat.

The excavation machine 1 generally comprises a frame 2 supported for movement across a ground surface by a plurality of traction elements 3 for example tracks. The frame 2 carries an operator cab 4 arranged to receive an operator to control the machine, and it carries an engine, controls, and other actuators arranged to operate the machine 1. A digging arm 6 is operatively mounted to the frame 2 at an attached end 7A and has a free end 7B configured to receive a bucket for digging ground material. The digging arm 6 is configured so that the free end 7B of the digging arm is movable relative to the frame 2 in an arcuate digging motion, such that when an excavation bucket is mounted thereto, the excavation machine 1 is arranged for excavating ground material. When the excavation machine is in the form of an excavator as shown in FIG. 1, the free end 7B of the digging arm 6 is movable in an arcuate path towards the frame 2 initially downwardly and eventually upwardly in order to collect ground material in a scooping action. To enable this movement, the digging arm 6 typically comprises a boom 8 pivotally supported on the frame 2 and defining the attached end 7A, from which the boom extends upwardly, and a dipper or stick 9 which pivotally depends from the boom and defines the free end 7B at a lower end of the dipper/stick.

The apparatus 10 comprises a bucket 12 configured for mounting on the excavation machine and to collect ground material. More specifically, the bucket 12 comprises a pair of laterally spaced-apart, upright-oriented, parallel sidewalls 14 and a peripheral wall 15 spanning laterally between the sidewalls 14 and extending from a top 16A to a bottom 16B of the peripheral wall along a generally arcuate path from a top 17 of the bucket to a rear end 18 thereof and then to a bottom 19 of the bucket, where the rear end 18 is arranged to face away from the excavation machine frame 2 when mounted on the machine. Thus, the peripheral wall 15 is generally C-shaped with opposite ends thereof arranged on a common end of the bucket, in this case a front end 20 thereof. The sidewalls 14 and peripheral wall 15 collectively delimit an interior IN of the bucket for containing ground material and a front opening 22 at a forward or front end 20 of the bucket that is configured to enable passage of the ground material into the bucket in digging action. The bucket includes a forward cutting edge 25 at an end of the peripheral wall 15 along a bottom of the front opening 22, which in the illustrated arrangement is provided by a free edge of a laterally extending blade 26 at the bottom 19 and forward end 20 of the bucket. Thus the bucket is suited for cutting into a body of ground material to separate and remove from the body a portion of the material.

Furthermore, the bucket 12 includes a mounting device 24 configured for attaching to the excavation machine 1 in order to mount the bucket thereon. More specifically, the mounting device 24 is attached to the peripheral wall 15 of the bucket at or adjacent the top 16A thereof. In the illustrated arrangement, the mounting device 24 is of a substantially conventional configuration for removable attachment to a digging arm of an excavator, and comprises a pair of parallel spaced-apart mounting plates 26 supported in upstanding condition on a generally horizontally oriented support plate 27 which is supported in spaced relation to the bucket peripheral wall 15.

In addition to the foregoing, the bucket 12 includes a rear opening 30 in the peripheral wall 15 opposite to the front opening 22, so as to be at the rear 18 of the bucket, and configured, by being sized and shaped, to enable passage of the ground material, which is in the bucket, out therefrom. In the illustrated arrangement, the rear opening 30 comprises a single opening spanning substantially a full width of the bucket between the sidewalls 14. In the illustrated arrangement, the rear opening 30 terminates close to but spaced from the sidewalls 14 such that the peripheral wall 15 can be made from a unitary body of material, from which the single opening is cut out.

Thus, taking the rear opening 30 into consideration, the mounting device 24 is located intermediate the top 17 of the bucket, or the top 16A of the peripheral wall, and the rear opening 30.

Further to the bucket 12, the apparatus 10 includes an internal material expulsion device 33 which is located inside the bucket, that is in its interior IN, and configured to discharge the collected ground material, from inside the bucket 12, out of the bucket through the rear opening 30. In the illustrated arrangement, the material expulsion device 33 comprises a rotary member 35 operatively supported for rotation about a substantially laterally oriented rotational axis R centrally located inside the bucket and configured to move the collected ground material towards the rear opening 30. The rotary member is configured to rotate in a downward and rearward direction C around the rotational axis R. The material expulsion device 33 includes a hydraulic motor and powertrain 37 configured to drive rotation of the rotary member 35, which motor is configured to be driven by hydraulics of the excavation machine 1.

The rotary member 35 comprises a shaft 39 defining the rotational axis R and a plurality of paddle members 40 operatively supported for rotation with the shaft 39. Each paddle member 40 defines a planar leading surface 42 generally facing in the downward and rearward direction of rotation C and disposed in angularly trailing relation to a radius RS of the shaft. In the illustrated arrangement, the paddle members have serrated distal ends 44 to scrape material from the interior of the peripheral wall 15. The paddle members 40 are disposed in spaced relation to the shaft located outwardly therefrom on disc members 48 supported in fixed rotational relation with the shaft 39. The paddle members 40 are arranged in sets each along a distinct axial location on the shaft 39, and the paddle members 40 of the respective set are staggered relative to the paddle members of the adjacent set.

Thus the material expulsion device 33, which in the illustrated arrangement employs rotary motion, acts to move material input to the bucket 12 through the front opening 22, along which is located the cutting edge 25, and release the material with velocity through the rear opening 30. The peripheral wall 15 is shaped adjacent the front opening 22 at both top 16A and bottom 16B to form a suitable intake for the rotary material expulsion device 33, and provides the front opening 22 which is sized, from a top to a bottom thereof, smaller than a diameter of the rotary member 35. In the illustrated arrangement, an outer diameter of the rotary member 35 is defined by the distal ends 44 of the paddle members which project beyond the disc members 48. More specifically, from the top to the bottom the front opening 22 extends between about 90 degrees and about 180 degrees about the rotational axis R of the rotary member 35. Furthermore, the front opening 22 is in communication with a lower portion of an upper front quadrant of the rotary member 35 and a majority of a lower front quadrant of the rotary member 35.

In the illustrated arrangement, the top end 16A of the peripheral wall projects forwardly from the sidewalls 14 of the bucket, so as to form a lip across the top of the front opening 22, complementary to the cutting edge 25 which also projects beyond the sidewalls 14. Also, the projecting top end 16A of the peripheral wall 15 is located below tops of the sidewalls 14. Thus is formed the intake of the bucket to the material expulsion device, which diverges from the front opening 22 in an angular direction of the rotary member.

Around the rotary material expulsion device, the peripheral wall 15 substantially follows an outer circumferential edge of the rotary member 35 along an angular path extending more than 180 degrees around the rotational axis R. Since the circumference of the member 35 is non-circular, due to the projecting ends 44 of the paddle members, the peripheral wall 15 follows a circular path delimited by these outermost points of the rotary member 35. The ends 44 of the paddle members are in intimate but spaced relation to the peripheral wall so that all collected material in the bucket can be removed therefrom by action of the material expulsion device. Furthermore, in the illustrated arrangement, the angular path followed by the peripheral wall around the rotary member is less than 270 degrees.

To guide the ground material upon being discharged from the bucket 12, the apparatus 10 includes an external deflection member 55 attached to the bucket 12, on an outside thereof, at or adjacent the rear opening 30 and configured to direct the discharged ground material.

In view of the mounting device 24, the deflection member 55 is disposed at or adjacent a proximal side of the rear opening 30 to the mounting device so as to direct material away from the mounting device, which in the illustrated arrangement is the top of the rear opening.

The deflection member 55 is supported for pivotal movement about a substantially laterally oriented pivot axis P, so as to be adjustable for directing by deflection the discharged or expelled or ejected excavated ground material. The pivot axis P is substantially parallel and coplanar with the rotational axis R of the rotary material expulsion device. To pivotally adjust the deflection member, there is provided at least one actuator 59 which is operatively supported underneath the support plate 27 of the mounting device and operatively connected to the deflection member 55. More specifically, there are provided a pair of linear actuators 59 in the form of cylinders pivotally mounted at their barrel ends 60A to the support plate 27 and pivotally connected via linkages 61 to the deflection member 55 at their rod ends 60B. The linkages 61 are pivotally connected to the peripheral wall 15 at a spaced location from the pivot axis P so that the cylinder actuators 59 are supported by the bucket 12. The cylinder actuators 59 are configured to be driven by the hydraulics of the excavation machine.

An upstanding shield 63 is provided above the top 16A of the peripheral wall, extending therefrom towards the support plate 27 of the mounting device 24, to protect the actuators 59.

In the illustrated arrangement, the deflection member 55 comprises an arcuate deflection surface 66 opposite the rear opening 30 in the bucket and extending from a proximal end 68 at or adjacent the bucket to a distal end 69 spaced from the peripheral wall. The deflection surface 66 is convexly curved relative to a trajectory of material exiting the rear opening 30. The deflection member 55, which is in the shape of an inverted shallow channel, is hinged at the proximal end 68 to the peripheral wall along a top edge of the rear opening 30.

This arrangement may provide substantially simultaneous digging and expulsion actions to move ground material from a trenched location such as A to another location such as B using the excavation machine 1 only.

In use, the apparatus 10 is operatively mounted on the excavation machine 1. The apparatus 10 is moved by the machine 1 through ground material with the front opening 22 in leading position so that ground material collects in the bucket 12 through the front opening 22. While the apparatus 10 is displaced through the ground material in a digging direction D1, the material expulsion device 33 is simultaneously operated to discharge the material received in the bucket out the rear opening 30 which is in trailing position relative to the direction of displacement D1 of the apparatus. Thus, the collected material is discharged in an opposite direction D2 to that of digging, that is D1. As the apparatus 10 is arranged so that the rear opening 30 faces away from the excavation machine 1, and more specifically the frame 2 thereof, the material is discharged away from the machine and from the area being excavated by means of the bucket 12. Since the material expulsion device 33 comprises a rotary member 35 which moves material out of the bucket by rotation in a downward and rearward direction C, a deflection member 55 is located in trailing relation to the rotational direction of the member 35, so that any material discharged more upwardly than rearwardly (in direction D2) is directed by deflection away from the mounting device 24.

Accordingly, in conjunction with the structure of the apparatus 10, there is provided a method of forming a trench or ditch, as represented by the broken line in FIG. 1, which method generally comprises the steps of:

using a bucket 12 mounted on a digging arm 6 of an excavation machine 1 movable in arcuate digging motion, digging ground material from a prescribed location A to form the trench or ditch; and

substantially in parallel with digging from the first location, discharging, from the bucket 12, the ground material in a direction away from the prescribed location, for example towards location B.

The scope of the claims should not be limited by the preferred embodiments set forth in the examples but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the specification as a whole. 

1. An apparatus for use with an excavation machine to move ground material, the apparatus comprising: a bucket configured for mounting on the excavation machine and to collect ground material, wherein the bucket comprises: laterally spaced-apart sidewalls, a peripheral wall spanning laterally between the sidewalls and extending from a top to a bottom of the peripheral wall along a path from a top of the bucket to a rear thereof and then to a bottom of the bucket, wherein the sidewalls and peripheral wall collectively delimit an interior of the bucket for containing ground material and a front opening configured to enable passage of the ground material into the bucket, and a rear opening in the peripheral wall opposite to the front opening and configured to enable passage of the ground material, which is in the bucket, out therefrom; a material expulsion device in the bucket and configured to discharge the collected ground material through the rear opening of the bucket; and an external deflection member attached to the bucket at or adjacent the rear opening and configured to direct the discharged ground material.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein, when the bucket has a mounting device configured for attaching to the excavation machine, and when the mounting device is attached to the peripheral wall, the deflection member is disposed at or adjacent a proximal side of the rear opening to the mounting device so as to direct material away from the mounting device.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the deflection member is supported for pivotal movement about a substantially laterally oriented pivot axis.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein, when the bucket has a mounting device configured for attaching to the excavation machine, and when the mounting device comprises a support plate supported generally horizontally and in spaced relation to the peripheral wall, the deflection member is pivotally movable about the pivot axis by at least one actuator operatively supported underneath the support plate.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the deflection member comprises an arcuate deflection surface opposite the rear opening in the bucket and extending from a proximal end at or adjacent the bucket to a distal end spaced from the peripheral wall.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein, when the bucket includes a forward cutting edge at an end of the peripheral wall along a bottom of the front opening, the material expulsion device comprises a rotary member operatively supported for rotation about a substantially laterally oriented rotational axis inside the bucket and configured to move the collected ground material towards the rear opening, and wherein the rotary member is configured to rotate in a downward and rearward direction around the rotational axis.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein a height of the front opening from a top to a bottom thereof is sized smaller than a diameter of the rotary member.
 8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the rotary member comprises a shaft defining the rotational axis and a plurality of paddle members operatively supported for rotation with the shaft, wherein each paddle member defines a planar leading surface generally facing in the downward and rearward direction of rotation and disposed in angularly trailing relation to a radius of the shaft.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the paddle members are spaced from the shaft.
 10. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the peripheral wall substantially follows an outer circumferential edge of the rotary member along an angular path extending more than 180 degrees around the rotational axis.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the angular path is less than 270 degrees.
 12. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the front opening extends from a bottom to a top thereof between about 90 degrees and about 180 degrees about the rotational axis of the rotary member.
 13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the rear opening comprises a single opening spanning substantially a full width of the bucket between the sidewalls.
 14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein an end of the peripheral wall at the top thereof projects forwardly from the sidewalls of the bucket.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the top end of the peripheral wall is below tops of the sidewalls.
 16. A method of forming a trench or ditch comprising: using a bucket mounted on a digging arm of an excavation machine movable in arcuate digging motion, digging ground material from a prescribed location to form the trench or ditch; and substantially in parallel with digging from the first location, discharging, from the bucket, the ground material in a direction away from the prescribed location. 